The world's only floating nuclear power plant - Akademik Lomonosov generates 1 billion kWh before being refueled
The Akademik Lomonosov, a floating nuclear power plant operating since May 2020 in Russia's Arctic region of Chukotka, has generated 1 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, the state atomic energy corporation Rosatom said in a statement. Operational for more than five years, the nuclear power plant also recently completed its first fuel cycle.
Nuclear power also has its opponents as some worry about the dangers of radioactive waste created by nuclear fission and others about the massive investments of time and money required to build large-scale nuclear power plants.
While the debate rages on about whether nuclear fission power can help us achieve our net-zero energy goal, one engineering feat in this sector cannot be overlooked, and the Akademik Lomonosov is just that. The world's only floating nuclear power plant.
A nuclear reactor on a submarine is no longer a new technology. It has been used on naval vessels since the 1950s and is essential in maintaining the stealth characteristics of submarines. But the Akademik Lomonosov is quite the opposite. With a length of 144 m and a width of 30 m, the ship is intended for civilian use and has two KLT-40S nuclear reactors on board for power generation.
Derived from the same technology used by Russian icebreakers, these reactors have a combined thermal power of 300 MW, which can generate about 70 MW of electricity (gross). Originally planned for installation at the Sevmash shipyard in northwestern Russia, the ship was later moved to Pevek in the Far East to replace the Bilibino nuclear power plant, which was nearing the end of its service life.
Using low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, the power plant supplied 20% of the region's demand in 2020. Today, its share in the Chaun-Bilibino power center and the isolated grid is over 60%.
In addition to generating a billion kilowatt hours of energy to date, the power plant doubles as a cogeneration facility and reuses waste heat. Up to 60 MW of thermal energy is captured and used for heating. It currently serves a population of 5,000, supplying power to mining operations in the Baimskaya area and helping to desalinate up to 240,000 cubic meters of water per day.
Rosatom is also considering the construction of four floating nuclear power plants with a capacity of 100 MW and a lifespan of over 60 years for the export market.
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